


The Queens of London

by musical_stan_first_human_later



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Violence, a lot of lying, everyone is rich and powerful, except for Kat, spy AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23535481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musical_stan_first_human_later/pseuds/musical_stan_first_human_later
Summary: When Katherine Howard received a strange invitation from a group of women known as “The Queens”, she had no idea what to think. The last thing she expected was to be thrown into the center of a dangerous conspiracy against some douchebag named Henry. But by now Kat’s learned that she really has no idea what to expect anymore.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn & Katherine Howard
Comments: 8
Kudos: 39





	1. You Are Cordially Invited

To say it started out as a normal day would be an accurate, if boring, way to start her story. But if Kat was honest, that’s exactly how it began. The sky was slightly overcast, typical for London weather, and people were out and about on their daily strolls. As for Kat, she was sitting on her stool on the side of the cobblestone street with an old worn guitar in her lap and an open case in front of her. A few stray pounds were in the case, but not nearly as much as Kat was hoping for.

She knew what to expect after almost a year of live music. On a normal day, she would make about 50 pounds, give or take ten if it was a good or bad day. Not the best profession, but for a barely high school grad student, she had learned not to complain. Besides, she got to see plenty of interesting faces everyday, sometimes even familiar ones. 

One of the faces she would see everyday was Jane Seymour, wealthy millionaire known for being one of those most charitable people in London. She even had a hospital in construction currently to be named the Seymour hospital. Every person in London knew her name, but oftentimes they wouldn’t notice her when she was out in public wearing some discount Urban Outfitters clothes. Jane never noticed Kat and her guitar, she was far too busy on a phone call with someone or frantically texting her employees every morning. But Kat always noticed her walking by at the same time - 7: 55 AM.

It was a shame really, that the millionaire never noticed Kat. The musician had always looked up to Jane as a role model, and soon enough seeing her every morning became the highlight of Kat’s day. It was much easier to put on a bright face after spotting her idol. It helped her get through the harder parts of the day, especially with the men who would come around.

Those were some of the worst days when Kat had to pack up and leave early. It was usually the same man, Francis, who would cat-call her and make lewd comments. Sometimes a passerby would tell him off, but he always came back. To be honest, he frightened Kat, especially when it came to her history with guys like him. But she couldn’t afford to give up street performing because of one sleazy guy. She needed the money, and that was that.

It was like any other day, not particularly good or bad. Francis hadn’t shown up, which was a plus, but there weren’t too many pounds she had racked up with her singing. Sighing, Kat realized she’d have to make packaged ramen for dinner again.

Finishing her final song, Kat watched as a woman with sunglasses dropped something into her case. “Thank you,” Kat said softly and smiled at the woman, but the woman had already turned around and started walking away. Kat frowned but didn’t think much of it, going into her case to count up her pounds. She was shocked to see a white envelope sitting on top of the pounds, bright and perfectly sealed. It hit Kat that the woman who has just been there probably dropped it by accident, so she stood up frantically and called, “Miss?” Unfortunately, the woman was long gone, nowhere in sight.

Something on the note caught Kat’s eye causing her to freeze in place. The letter had written in cursive at the top _Katherine_ with a thin pen. The ink looked almost fake with how perfect it was on the page. Reaching her hand in to grab the envelope, Kat jerked her hand back before she could grab it. It didn’t make sense to her. Why would this woman drop a letter for her but not stick around to make sure she read it?

A shadow fell over her and Kat jumped up, afraid it might be Francis. Instead, it was just a cloud covering the Sun, reminding her that it was almost evening. Packing her guitar into its case, Kat hurriedly made her way back to her studio. It was a small studio on the edge of London, and Kat was pretty sure her landlord was a drug dealer, but after avoiding him for long enough, he had given up on her. The studio was tiny, the size of one room with a wall split down the middle. The bathroom was next to the bedroom (if it could be classified as one) where they were split from the living room/kitchen by half of a wall. The bathroom had only a shower curtain concealing it from the bedroom, and the kitchen could only be defined as separate from the living room because of the tiny, moldy couch placed in the center.

Setting the guitar case down on the floor of her bedroom, Kat opened it up and took out her guitar. She pocketed all the pounds to be counted later until all that was left was the envelope. Shakily pulling it out, Kat held her breath. Opening it felt like a disservice, ruining the perfectly sealed letter, but Kat found herself tearing it open as curiosity bit its icy jaws into her.

The note was folded into three sections, although it seemed relatively short in itself.

_Katherine,_

_We hope this note finds you in good health and that your music work has been treating you well. We hate to skip so quickly past to pleasantries, but we must ask for your assistance. While we can’t say much in this letter, we know about your connections. And right now, we can really use them. Henry has wronged all of us, and you… we can’t even imagine._

_We can’t say much more but we’re having a meeting. Great Newport Street, the building with the under construction sign, tonight at 11 PM sharp. All of us will be there, and we hope to see you too. If everything goes to plan, this will be more than beneficial to you, we’re sure. After all, Henry’s been making sure we’re all barely scraping by. With him gone, you’ll be richer than you ever thought. We know that’s why you’re in all of this._

_We won’t blame you if you don’t show up, but we could use someone like you._

_Best of luck with business,_

_The Queens_

Dropping the letter to the ground, Katherine suddenly felt as if she had just been targeted by the mafia. Was that what was happening? It was too outlandish to be a business offer, that was for sure. And it sounded awfully shady, whatever the “Queens” were offering her. And why her? Why Katherine Howard, the nobody, the invisible girl?

So many questions sped through Kat’s mind as she tried to process the letter. How did they even know who she was? The one thing that kept coming back to her was the name Henry. Kat had never met anyone named Henry, yet the note referred to him as if Kat would know exactly who they were talking about. 

The most worrying part of it all, Kat realized, was that she had already made up her mind. Without realizing it, Kat knew she would be going to that meeting and figuring out what was going on. Maybe it was her unbridled curiosity, or maybe it was her desperate need for the promised money so she could finally eat something other than old ramen, but Kat was sure. Silently, she prayed that these mysterious “Queens” were serial killers targeting her as she jotted down the address on her arm. 

It was a serious risk, going to some random location, but Kat kept murmuring to herself, “It’s either this, or another pack of ramen.” It was that reassurance that got her to push through in the cold night air. She was bundled up in her definition of winter clothes even though it was the middle of fall. The night air was much colder than she wanted to admit, but Kat didn’t own much more than a coat and a scarf to keep her warm. The streets were practically empty, the occasional sound of a car rumbling by reminding Kat that she was still in London.

Reaching her destination, Kat checked her watch to make sure she was on time. 11:02 PM it read. “It’s probably fine, right?” The building in question looked like a theatre, but the windows were covered up with wood and masking tape. A sign on the front door read Under Construction, confirming that Kat was in the right place.

Slowly pushing open the door, Kat stepped inside the foyer, the door giving a light jingle as it moved. “You’re late,” came a voice from the dark, startling Kat. She jumped and whirled around to find whoever had just spoken.

A few paces away stood a tall, well dressed woman with blonde hair. She looked serious, but not angry, as she glanced Kat up and down. “No matter, at least you’re here.” She ushered Kat forward and led her toward the back of the building. There was a flight of stairs leading downwards into the basement, and Kat couldn’t help the knot of anxiety that built up in her stomach as she walked to what very well could be her death. She suddenly felt stupid for thinking this could possibly turn out well.

At the bottom of the steps was a door, and the woman leading Kat opened it and pushed her through. On the other side sat eight women at a round table, all of them turning their heads to see who had entered. “Ah Joan, looks like our guest has finally arrived,” spoke one of the women. Katherine whipped her head to look at the speaker and had to restrain herself from gasping. On the left side of the table sat Jane Seymour, her eyes tuned on Kat and a small smile on her face. She was dressed in more formal wear than Kat usually saw her with, but it was still the same woman.

Finally, recognition set in as Kat surveyed the room. Next to Jane was Catherine de Aragon, the CEO of Aragon News, one of the most successful news outlets in London. On Aragon’s left was Catherine Parr, a world renowned journalist and author, and an associate of Aragon News. Continuing from there was Anne Boleyn, one of the most wealthy bar owners in London. Every bar Kat had ever passed almost always had a Boleyn sign, marking that it belonged to the wealthy entrepreneur. On the other side of Anne was a famous face, Anna von Cleves, a famous fashion designer from Germany who came to London and revolutionized the fashion industry. Completing the circle were three other women Kat had never seen before, similar to the woman Jane referred to as Joan. The first woman had darker skin and was clearly of Spanish descent, with her curly locks framing her face. The next one looked young, only a couple years older than Kat herself, but her fingers were nimble and her eyes looked experienced. The final woman was wearing a smirk, her hair pulled back into a slick ponytail to show off her smooth, well made up face.

It took all of Kat’s willpower not to openly gasp and start freaking out. These women acted as if they knew her, so all she could do was attempt to play it cool. Joan nodded to Jane’s statement and turned back to Kat. “Queens, meet Katherine Brandon. Brandon, meet the Queens. I think we all have a lot to discuss.”

Kat’s eyes went wide. _Brandon?_ Her brain yelled in confusion. _Brandon?_ Unintentionally, Kat murmured under her breath, “Oh snickerdoodles,” as she was led to a seat surrounded by nine powerful and influential women. This was definitely _not_ how she was expecting her day to turn out.


	2. Rolling in the Deep End

The entire table sat in silence, the majority of the women staring at Kat. The teen had her eyes pointed downwards, too terrified to make eye contact with anyone else. The realization that she was in way over her head was sudden and jarring, and it made her sick to her stomach. _Should have just stuck with the ramen_ , she kept chanting in her head. “So,” Boleyn awkwardly piped up. “You got anything for us Brandon?”

Kat felt immediately wrong when Anne called her that, so she spoke up, “Actually, you can just call me Kat,” before she could think of anything else. The queens looked a little taken aback by her young voice but they said nothing.

It was Cleves who nodded and explained, “Well you probably should know why we wanted you here tonight. We’re actually a little surprised you actually showed up, especially with how you never show your face in public. We had no idea you looked so,” she stumbled around for the right word, “young.”

 _Okay, that explains a lot_ , Kat thought. _If none of them know what Katherine Brandon looks like, then they don’t know that I’m not her. That’s lucky._ It was Aragon who spoke up next. Her voice was stern but her eyes didn’t hold any of the anger Kat was so used to seeing in adults. “You read the letter, so you must know what Henry’s been doing.”

Trying to keep a stutter out of her voice, Kat said, “Please remind me.”

The women all seemed vaguely confused, but they obliged. “Henry Tudor, one of the most well known politicians in London today,” Catherine Parr started. It struck Kat in that moment, of course it would be someone like Henry Tudor they were talking about, not some backstreet gang member Henry she’d been expecting. “He’s been screwing us all over with his puppeteering -”

“Ooh cool simile,” Anne said as she tilted her head towards Cathy.

“That’s not a simile,” Cathy deadpanned. She continued, “But Henry has been practically controlling the entirety of Parliament. He’s unlawfully put restrictions on Aragon’s company, he’s been making it absolute hell for Jane to do her charity work, and so much more. Not to mention his dabbling in the Black Market and the assassinations we suspect him of taking part in. We tend to stay away from all that, but I know the Black Market’s your specialty Kat. And we all have our personal beef with him.”

Nodding along, Kat hid her surprise at the mention to the Black Market. She was supposed to have connections to the Black Market? Oh, she was a lot deeper in than she thought. “That’s why we’re going to take him down.”

“What?” The word slipped out of Kat’s mouth before she could close it.

“He’s done some horrible things,” Jane spoke firmly, “and that’s unforgivable. He’s got everyone under his thumb. Unless we can get cold hard evidence to convict him, he’s always going to win. That’s why all of us need to work together. So Kat, are you in?”

Later, Kat would ask herself _What was I meant to do?_ when Jane gave her that hopeful smile. She had always looked up to the woman, reading about her in free newspapers. To have her directly asking for help, Kat almost instantaneously said, “Of course!” The enthusiasm was a direct contrast to her actual nervousness, and the change was enough to offset the other women.

“Right,” spoke the woman with the slick ponytail. She shot a glance at Boleyn but the other woman only shrugged. “Well we’ve been devising a plan for a while, but it’s taken this long to assemble the whole team. Now that we’ve got you, Kat, we can finally get started.”

“Yes, I think it would be best if you went with Jane and Joan so they can give you a rundown of our previous meetings while the rest of us discuss our future plans,” Aragon stated offhandedly, giving a pointed glance to the millionaire. Jane stood up, followed by Joan and stuck out for Kat to take. Hesitantly, Kat slipped her hand into the woman’s grip and allowed herself to be led out of the room. As Joan closed the door behind them, Kat could almost feel the eyes of the seven remaining women on her back.

After the three girls left the room, the remaining seven were quiet. No one knew what to say after the awkward introduction they shared with Katherine Brandon. “Okay, it can’t just be who thinks she’s way too young, right?” Anne broke the silence, looking expectantly at the others.

Maggie nodded in agreement, elbowing Bessie in the side to get her to nod along. “Well looks can be deceiving,” Bessie shrugged and went back to tapping her fingers on the table.

Someone clicked their tongue, and everyone turned their attention to Anna. The designer was looking down at the table with a concentrated look on her face. “I can’t help but feel a little off about all this. Brandon’s supposed to be one of the most ruthless competitors in the Black Market, but Kat looks like she couldn’t hurt a fly.”

“It doesn’t matter how she looks, right now we have to trust her,” Cathy cut in. “If we’re going to take down Henry, we need everyone we can get. And that includes Kat.” Slowly, everyone mumbled out varying forms of agreement.

Maria shifted in her seat. “We’re going to have Jane watch her, aren’t we?”

“You make it sound like we’re stalking her,” Maggie retorted.

“But Maria is right,” Aragon sighed. “We need her, like Cathy said, but we can’t leave her alone. Not until she proves herself. Anytime she’s around one of us, we’ll have Jane there.”

“But we can’t stalk her?” Anne asked, toeing the line between disappointment and understanding.

“No, we won’t cross that line.”

There was a silent consensus amongst the group as they all settled back into their seats. They had faith that Jane and Joan would be able to get a good reading on Kat. After all, Jane was wonderful at getting someone’s true personality to shine, and Joan was perfect for analyzing that personality. It was what made them such a good duo.

* * *

The light squeeze of her hand reminded Kat who she was with. “Jane Seymour,” she couldn’t help but mutter in awe.

Jane had a nice smile, one she wasn’t afraid to flash in Kat’s direction. “Based on what the other queens told you during the meeting, I’m sure you already have a pretty good idea of what’s going on here.” Kat swallowed thickly and nodded, not taking her eyes off Jane. She was sure Joan was standing behind her, likely watching her every move, but Kat was transfixed. For so long, she had fantasized Jane Seymour looking up from her phone on early morning walks and smiling at her as she sang. And now, here she was, having a conversation with the woman. 

“Right, then let’s get into the specifics of it,” came Joan’s voice from behind Kat. The teen whipped around to face Joan, but the lady had already started circling Kat to stand next to Jane. They were an interesting duo in Kat’s eyes. The kind, charitable millionaire and the protective… assistant? Sister? Kat didn’t know how the two of them were related, and she made a mental note to look it up the next time she had a chance.

It was Jane who continued the conversation then. “We’re going to go undercover -”

“Like a spy?” Kat asked.

“Like a spy,” Jane replied giddily, “and get the evidence we need to get Henry sentenced to jail. He’s got this party in a few days time that we’re going to go to. We’ve been invited -”

“Under the pretense of keeping up appearances of course,” Joan cut in.

“To his party, and we’re going to use it as a cover to break into his secret rooms. There we’ll hopefully be able to find documents linking him to all his illegal activities. The drug deals, assassinations, anything that’ll get him arrested.”

Kat frowned and stared at the floor. “Then why do you need me?”

Joan smiled, the grin carrying the same energy as Jane’s. “You’re the most important part Brandon.” It didn’t escape her notice the way Kat cringed at the name. “No one knows your face. You’ll be able to disappear without anyone noticing to grab our evidence.”

Gulping, Kat tried to keep herself calm as she realized how much worse everything was getting for her. “Okay. Then what’s everyone else doing?”

“Joan and the other ladies,” Jane paused, then added, “Maria, Bessie, and Maggie,” for clarification. “They run the operation from here. They plan, tell us the latest updates, they’re our backup squad.” Kat nodded along, making mental notes to the best of her ability. “Aragon is a big name, everybody knows who she is, so she serves as our distraction. Get all the attention on herself, nobody notices you sneaking around. Anne does basically the same thing, except she also gets information from the partygoers. With how silly she asks, you’d be surprised how cunning she can be. Anna provides the looks for everyone so that we can blend in. It’s a high class party with rich, influential people, we need to look the part. And Cathy, ever the journalist, snoops around. She takes note of every little thing she sees and hears in case it could possibly come in handy. I’ve seen her carry four blank notebooks at a time in order to record everything.”

It was a lot of information Jane had willingly shared with Kat, and the teen did her best to take it all in. She repeated it in her mind in order not to forget what she had learned. “What about you?”

“Isn’t that one obvious?” Jane laughed lightly, “I’m the one with the invitations. Henry doesn’t like the other queens, but he won’t make a scene if I invite them all. He’s too prideful to tell me I can’t bring them.”

Joan furrowed her eyebrows and leaned forward, inspecting Kat. “It is quite lucky that you’re so small, you’ll slip right by.” Kat figured it wasn’t meant to be offensive, but she was suddenly self conscious about her size compared to all the other queens. _How am I supposed to compete?_ She thought, _when they’re all fully grown women and I’m an anxious, growth stunted teenager?_

The two women didn’t seem to notice (or if they did, they made no comment) her internal turmoil. Jane patted Kat on the back and led her towards the door. Joan held the door open and gave a small, but genuine smile. “The meeting’s over already?” Kat asked in confusion. She felt as if she’d just arrived.

“These things tend to be pretty quick. Besides, we only called a meeting to get you informed. We’ll meet back here at the same time tomorrow night so you can get to know everyone and we can prepare for the party,” Jane explained. 

Stepping out the door, Kat turned around to face Jane and Joan who were both still inside the building. “I won’t tell anyone about this, I promise. And I’ll be back tomorrow.” After learning how much their plan hinged on her, Kat felt she had the duty to at least try and help them. For some reason, she had gotten the note to meet them, and if they were going to take down a crooked politician who apparently has a lot of beef with them… Kat was going to do her best to help. If that meant becoming some modern version of a spy, then so be it. (Secretly, Kat liked the idea of getting to be her own version of James Bond. She’d have to come up with a cool intro, like his.)

With one last glance, the two women inside the building shut the door and left Kat to make her way home in the dark night. Once the door was shut, Jane turned to Joan. “Did you get the same feeling I got?”

“And so much more,” Joan nodded. “We need to tell the others. They’re gonna want to know about this.”


	3. My Loneliness is Killing Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Vague mentions of sexual abuse  
> NOTE: I know historically that Katherine Brandon is Maria de Salinas’s daughter, but for the sake of this story we’re going to pretend that they aren’t related. Otherwise, it would cause a lot of plot holes with Maria’s involvement with the queens that’s just way too hard to work out for how the story is being written.

The Queens and their ladies sat around the table listening to what Jane and Joan had gathered on Kat. “She was very uncomfortable,” Jane noted.

“Especially when I called her Brandon,” Joan threw in. “This girl’s hiding something, the only problem is we don’t know what.”

Cathy twirled a pen in her fingers. “Well this certainly complicates things.”

“Why don’t we just confront her on it?” Anne asked.

Maggie nodded along with her. “She can’t lie to all of us.”

“No,” Aragon sighed, “that wouldn’t work. She’d get defensive. If nine suspicious women surrounded you and demanded the truth, would you confess?” Anne let her eyes fall as her suggestion was rejected.

“Why are we talking about Kat as if she’s already a criminal?” Anna asked from her chair. She was leaning on the arm and had her leg up at an angle, a stance she put on to suggest that she had little stake in the conversation. Really, the others knew Anna had a big heart and was willing to intervene on behalf of any of them.

“She’s right,” Jane agreed. “I can keep an eye on her, like you all suggested, but other than that, we leave it be. Kat looks properly like a kid, we shouldn’t treat her like a hardened criminal.”

Cathy sat up and reminded the group, “She does supposedly deal with the Black Market, though.”

“Yes, we can’t forget about that,” Maria affirmed.

Rubbing her forehead, Bessie stood up. “I usually just let you do your thing, but this is dragging on. Let me just do a quick synopsis and then we can go home, kay?” When there was no objection from any of the others, Bessie continued, “Okay. Katherine Brandon, well known for her popular record label and dealings with the Black Market, has never been seen in public. Apparently, that’s because she looks like a seventeen year old. Although we don’t officially know her age, something’s clearly wrong with this whole situation. What I believe we’re all thinking right now is that Katherine Brandon is an alias.”

“Exactly,” Joan pointed at Bessie. “She flinches every time we say her name. Normally I would suggest that means she _isn’t_ Katherine Brandon, but there’s no way anyone else could have gotten ahold of that note. Besides, what random person opens an envelope not addressed to them?”

Agreeing with Joan, Bessie finished the basic rundown. “We can’t directly confront her on this suspicion, but we can have Jane keep an eye on her. There will be _no stalking_ ,” she said this directly in Anne’s direction. “And things will continue as planned. Sound good?”

There was unanimous agreement among the group as they disbanded the meeting. As everyone got up, Anne pulled Cathy to the side. “Hey, is it just me or is there something familiar about Kat?”

The journalist frowned. “Not that I could tell. Why ask me?”

Anne shrugged and hid an embarrassed face. “You know the most, I figured if anyone would have any idea, it would be you.”

Giving Anne a kind smile, Cathy clicked her pen. “Well I’ll keep an eye out and tell you if I suddenly recognize her.”

“Thanks Cathy.” Those were the last words the queens exchanged before leaving for the night, set to return at the same time tomorrow.

* * *

Making it home, Kat immediately went to her old laptop and worked on getting it running. She had the thing from when she still lived with her father, but after being kicked out she was unable to get anything better. When the screen was properly lit, she typed in _Jane Seymour Joan_ and waited for any information to pop up. First off, she got a bunch of photos of Jane at promotional events with Joan at her side. The two of them looked close, maybe even siblings. 

There was an article attached to one of the pictures, so Kat clicked on it and started reading. “Joan Meutas is the co-owner of the Seymour fortune with her close friend Jane Seymour. Okay, so not related,” Kat talked to herself as she read. “The two are rarely seen without the other and they deal with Seymour related activities equally. When asked about allowing Joan to control half of her fortune, Jane said ‘Controlling all that money by myself is for too much power. I trust Joan to handle it far better than I could all alone. We work together and that’s what works best for us.’” Kat couldn’t help but feel her respect for this woman grow.

Moving on, Kat did her best to find the other ladies she had never met. She remembered Jane mentioning the names Maria, Bessie, and Maggie, so she started searching. After no results were yielded from _Anne Boleyn Maria_ and _Catherine Parr Maria_ , Kat struck gold with _Aragon News Maria_. There wasn’t as much personal stuff on her as there was on Joan, but there was quite a bit of work related information. _Maria de Salinas is the close friend of CEO Catherine of Aragon and works beside her as the CFO of Aragon News. It is unclear when the two of them met, but when Catherine inherited her business, Maria was immediately appointed the CFO beside her._

The process continued with Bessie and Maggie. _Margaret “Maggie” Lee is the main supplier of alcohol to Boleyn owned bars. While she does not own any alcohol companies, Margaret is known for providing some of the best mixes from different suppliers. Boleyn talks about her in many interviews as, “the best of both worlds. She makes a killer cocktail and she’s the best friend I’ve got…”_

The article for Bessie was particularly long, so Kat skimmed it. _Elizabeth “Bessie” Blount is the spokesperson for Cleves Fashion. She organizes the company’s events and speaks at press conferences in the place of legendary designer, Anna of Cleves. The two have been close friends for years, Elizabeth even collaborating with the designer on some occasions. There was a period of time where Elizabeth left the company to work for Aragon News, but she quickly quit under mysterious circumstances._

As much information as the articles had provided, Kat couldn’t help but have more questions than she started with. There was so much behind these nine incredible women, and she was hiding herself in their group, pretending to be someone she wasn’t. 

_Katherine Brandon is the owner of Darkrider Records and is known for writing many Number 1 hits in recent years. She appeared out of nowhere, taking the world by storm with her work and collaborations with rising artists. But perhaps the most interesting thing about Brandon is the lack of pictures of her. In fact, there is not a single confirmed photograph of Katherine Brandon, leading to some wild conspiracies surrounding her. Many claim that they’ve dealt with people under the alias Katherine Brandon in the Black Market, garnering Brandon an infamous reputation in the business world. Another one of the most famous conspiracies surrounding Katherine Brandon is that she is not a singular person, but rather a group of influential people pretending to be the figurehead of the company._

That was certainly quite the character Kat would have to play. Her only grace of good luck was the lack of information on Katherine Brandon. “Why am I doing this,” Kat mumbled under her breath.

The answer came clear as day, even though Kat didn’t want to accept it. Accepting her answer would mean continuing this dangerous lie. But her resolve was breaking down quickly, and Kat couldn’t help but think of her reasons. Backing out would mean her life would go back to the way it was. Playing music to passersby and barely making enough money to afford her dingy apartment. She didn’t even have much of an education, something she desperately wanted. These women had offered money in their note, but that wasn’t what really interested Kat. Of all things, it was because Kat was lonely. She had no one and nothing and slowly but surely it was killing her. This was probably her only chance at doing something worthwhile in her life. She could disappear off the map and never matter at all, or she could help take down a murderous, corrupt politician. 

When phrasing it like that, Kat knew she never stood a chance of backing out.

* * *

Unfortunately, joining a secret plot to overthrow a wealthy politician did not really have any benefits. Waking up at the crack of dawn to get set up on the street was not something Kat particularly liked doing, but it was necessary if she wanted to make enough money from free music. At first she couldn’t make much money, but quickly Kat learned the trick was the length of time she spent playing, not the quality of the music.

Most of the time people dropped money out of pity, not because they enjoyed the music she played. Kat hated living off of pity money, but no one ever wanted to hire her for a job, leaving her with no choice. The day always started out slow with only a few dollars here and there, but business picked up later on in the day. Kat liked to refer to her music as if it was a real job, using terms like business and customers to make herself feel better about the whole situation.

As the pale morning started to fade and the sun began shining through the clouds, Kat huddled in on herself, obsessively checking her watch that was propped against her guitar case. _7:50_. Kat anxiously chewed her lip and strummed the guitar, trying to keep her mind fixed on the music. In the next few minutes, Jane would walk by and for once Kat did not want to be noticed.

“Kat? What’re you doing here?” asked a voice, causing the girl to jump in her seat. Dread and nervousness settled in her stomach, but Kat put on her best facade. The minimal information on Katherine Brandon allowed her to build her character as she wished (Kat was glad she had taken those theatre classes when living with her father), so she tried her act on Jane.

Appearing calculated and confident, Kat glanced down at her instrument and then back at Jane. “Oh this?” Kat commented offhandedly, “I play out in public in order to attract anyone interested in music. You’d be surprised how many talents come by and start singing with the music. How do you think I recruit so many new stars to my label?”

Jane hid her surprise at Kat’s sudden change in demeanor well. The girl was acting completely different than the worried teen the night before, which immediately sent up red flags in Jane’s mind. “How long do you stay out here?”

“Eh, only a couple hours in the morning, I usually go to the company to put in some actual work. Can’t be slacking off.”

Taking note of the vagueness in the word “work”, Jane bobbed her head up and down. Kat was acting exactly how the queens had predicted Katherine Brandon would, something that shouldn’t have been strange. But Kat made a lasting first impression, and to have her do an entire 180 in a single night meant something was up. “I can’t stay for long, Kat, but I’ll be seeing you later tonight.”

Returning to her music, Kat gave a small wave, “Yes Jane, I’ll be there.” With that, Jane walked off and Kat sighed heavily, releasing the tension in her body. While her Katherine Brandon character wasn’t perfected, that portrayal was certainly more believable than the nervous girl Kat had been the night before. Being Katherine Brandon was far better than Kat being herself, and if that’s what it took for Kat to take her first steps into this new world, she would take it in a single leap.

* * *

The night came again quickly, Kat’s nerves skyrocketing as the first sign of darkness started creeping into the sky. This time, Kat was more prepared, so she pulled out her cleanest pair of pants and the nicest dress shirt she owned, regardless of the warmth. If she was to impress these women, she needed to dress elegantly while also appearing nonchalant.

Arriving at the closed theatre, Kat moved to open the door like the first night. Before she could grab the handle, someone’s hand wrapped around her mouth and another around her waist, wrestling her away from the door and into the alley beside the theatre. Screeching into the hand, Kat started thrashing in panic, pushing at her captor.

The person made a grunting noise and Kat squirmed, but they kept a tight grip on her waist. Suddenly, Kat was thrown back into the memories of hands on her waist, holding her and _touching_ her. A sob came out of Kat’s mouth as she started to shake, only for her assailant to let her go.

“Kat?” came the soft voice of Anne Boleyn. The bar owner had quieted herself so she couldn’t be heard by anyone other than Kat. “I’m sorry, did I scare you too much?”

Spinning around and lifting her head, Kat realized the person who had attacked her was only Anne, her face heating up with shame as she saw how badly she’d spooked Kat. “Why would you do that?” Kat whispered hoarsely, trying to regain her composure.

Putting her hands in her coat pocket, Anne shrugged. “I was trying to test you, see how well you reacted to being attacked.”

“Yeah, well I’ve never been attacked like that before, so clearly I didn’t do well.” Kat sighed and clenched her fists so Anne could not see the trembling. “Just don’t do it again.”

Anne held her hands up defensively. “Sorry, sorry. You head inside, I’ll be in in a minute.” Kat nodded and moved around Anne and out of the alley. She shot one last glance at Anne before moving inside the theatre to join the other women.

When Anne was sure Kat was gone, she reached in her pocket and pulled out a wallet. Opening it up, Anne began muttering to herself. “Alright Brandon, let’s see what secrets you’re hiding in here.”


	4. My Shadow's the Only One That Walks Beside Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Vague allusions to abuse

Everyone was sat at their meeting table, silently watching each other. There was a (laminated) plan set out in front of each chair for every queen and lady, the only empty seat being Anne’s. Clearly, some of the queens and ladies like Aragon and Joan were eager to start, but no one made any move without Boleyn. The silence was practically deafening for Kat who swore she could hear something ringing.

Soon enough, the door opened slowly and Anne shuffled in. She shot a glance at Kat but turned her gaze away and sat in her seat. “Can we start now?” Aragon asked in exasperation.

“Yeah, sorry,” Anne replied, her voice slightly heavier than normal. She didn’t quite look nervous, per se, but rather like she knew something she wished she didn’t. Cathy shot a questioning glance at Anne, but kept her mouth shut. Kat couldn’t help but observe all of this, an uncomfortable hole settling in her stomach.

“Alright,” Jane started, smiling warmly at her companions. “Henry’s party is in two nights time, and we need to be prepared. Anna, I believe you have something for us.”

Snapping her fingers, Anna stood up. “Right you are, Jane Suddenly Seymour,” she joked. Bessie stood up as well, lifting a large bag she had set under the table. “Outfits made by yours truly,” Anna presented, helping Bessie lift the first dress. “Miss Aragon, would you like to see your dress,” Cleves continued her over dramatic flair.

Rolling her eyes, Aragon stood up and moved over to the other two women. Unfurling the dress, Kat couldn’t help but gasp at its beauty. It was long and sweeping, the ends ruffled in all the right places to create shimmering waves. There were sparkles around the chest portion, accentuating Aragon’s dark skin against it. As for the whole of the dress, it was a radiant gold, regal and unapologetic, perfect for the queen who would wear it. The bottom half of the dress was silky and trembled at the slightest wind. Holding the dress against her body, Aragon admired Cleves’s work. “You’ve outdone yourself again, Anna,” she praised, leaving the room to go change and try the dress on. Even if she trusted Anna, the designer always encouraged them to try the dresses on and make sure they fit well.

“Just wait until you see the rest,” Anna smirked.

As Aragon changed, Bessie pulled out the second dress. “Anne, I believe this one’s for you,” she said, delicately placing the dress on the table. If Aragon’s had been radiant, this one was entrancing. It was a dark green, so thick that just looking at the dress made Kat’s chest clench. This dress was a little shorter and more revealing (important to the part Anne would be playing) but no less astounding than Aragon’s. There were jewels tacked along the breast line, making the dress even more elegant. A leather band wrapped around the waist, holding the dress together. 

“Wow,” Kat murmured, absolutely transfixed.

“Going off Kat’s reaction, I think I can safely say this dress is going to capture plenty of attention,” Cleves raised an eyebrow at Anne. Kat blushed and looked down, embarrassed at being called out.

“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Anne replied cheekily. Aragon came back into the room, twirling in her dress. There were various compliments among the women, including a wolf whistle from Anne. “Looking good Catalina,” she teased.

“Stuff it, Anne,” Aragon pretended to be annoyed. “Go change into your dress,” she ordered.

“As her majesty wishes,” Anne bowed out of the room, with her dress, off to try it on.

“I suppose I’m next,” Jane spoke up. She and the other ladies had been quiet throughout the ordeal, simply watching on in silent interest.

“Indeed,” Anna affirmed, reaching into the bag. Her next item was simpler, but when Jane laid eyes on it, she couldn’t help but immediately fall in love. It was a white dress with black outlines around the edges, accenting the curves and highlighting a wavy pattern. There were faint glitters on the dress, making it shine, but there was nothing inherently distracting about it like Anne’s. It was straightforward and beautiful, just as Jane would’ve asked.

For some reason, seeing the dress brought up a nostalgic feeling in Jane’s chest. She pushed it down and grasped the dress, thanking Anna politely. She left the room quicker than the others, moving past Anne as she reentered the room. “Wow,” Kat said again, seeing Anne in the dress. 

Winking at the table, Anne twirled, catching everyone’s attention. “This is the best thing you’ve made yet, Anna,” she praised while smoothing the dress.

Shrugging off the praise, Anna and Bessie pulled out the next two articles of clothing. “Now, for our last two queens,” she looked at Cathy and Kat respectively, “you need utmost mobility while also appearing formal and wearing your best. Cathy, if you’re to observe properly, you can’t be wearing a distracting dress that hinders you. Solution? Suits.” 

Revealing the suit, Cleves grinned proudly at her creation. A dark blue blazer, rich in color but plain otherwise surrounded the outfit. The color was eye-catching and blended perfectly with Parr’s skin tone. The shirt was a white button up with black stripes running up it, thin but strongly supporting the outfit. The pants were also blue, high waisted over the shirt itself. Sat on the table it was stunning, and Kat couldn’t wait to see the journalist actually donning the outfit.

When Cathy didn’t get up, everyone stared at her. “Aren’t you gonna… try it on?” Bessie nervously prompted.

Hiding her awkwardness behind a laugh, Cathy shook her head. “No, I - uh - I’d rather do that by myself if that’s alright.”

“No problem at all,” Cleves waved her off. “Let me know if there’s any problems with it. Kat,” she called unexpectedly.

Jumping in her seat, Kat quickly put on her persona. “Hmm?” She voiced, hiding her excitement. “My turn? Go ahead,” Kat made it seem like she was holding back a yawn.

The women all shot her confused looks, surprised by her nonchalance that had come completely out of left field. Maria and Maggie shared a confused look, but they said nothing. “Alright,” Cleves frowned, attempting to dispel the sudden tension. “Now, we weren’t sure what color would work, but Bessie had the great idea of this hot pink that I think you’re going to love.”

Sure enough, Kat had to stifle her astonishment at the suit. Like Cathy’s, it was covered by a hot pink blazer with black flower patterns scattered on it. The white shirt beneath it was plain, but the suspenders attached to them gave off a 1920s vibe that Kat adored. The pants were also pink, the same shade as the blazer, although there were no patterns on it. To top it off, there was a black choker sat on top of the outfit. “You like it?” Bessie asked, her eyes slightly twinkling. She had worked on this outfit specifically with Anna, and she was extremely proud of how it had turned out. 

“You did a good job,” Kat coughed out, making sure to keep her compliments vague.

“It’s absolutely stunning,” Jane said softly from the doorway, her dress stealing the spotlight. Everyone turned around to gaze at her, their eyes wide. For something so simple, Jane stood out among all of them. The dress had a life of its own, practically giving off an air of emotion to whoever set eyes on it.

Pushing Kat’s suit forward, Cleves urged, “Now that Jane’s back, you can try your suit on, Kat.”

“Uh,” panicking, Kat replied, “could I do what Cathy did?” At the awkward looks she received, Kat clarified, “Try it on at home?”

“Sure,” Anna continued, unbothered. “Bessie and I guessed on your measurements, so make sure to tell us tomorrow if something doesn’t fit right.”

“What about you, Anna?” Joan asked, speaking up for the first time that night. “Unlike us ladies, you’re going to the party. Don’t you need an outfit?”

“Of course, I have my suit already prepared. It’s a surprise for you all.”

“Why would you need a suit if you’re not going to be sneaking around,” Maggie snorted as she put her feet up on the table. 

Clicking her tongue, Anna leaned towards Maggie. “Because I just look that good in a suit.”

“Okay!” Aragon cut in. “How about we finish this meeting so we can all get home. Thank you for the clothes Anna and Bessie, they’re wonderful.” The fashion team nodded and sat down, listening to Aragon take control. “Now, let’s move on to politics.”

* * *

Walking home at one in the morning was not something Kat enjoyed, but she didn’t have a driver’s license, much less a car, so she was stuck. Trekking home with the suit, Kat couldn’t help but feel dirty. This suit in her hands was the most expensive thing she had ever held. Kat hadn’t grown up poor, sure, but she was never given things. And being kicked out of the house at a young age didn’t help her either.

Having this suit made for her felt wrong, she didn’t deserve it. She had lied her way into this group and was being rewarded for it. Kat knew she wanted to help, but it didn’t make the process any easier. She was used to being alone on the streets. Before she had been able to earn barely enough for rent, Kat had lived on these streets. All by herself.

There was a strange limbo between comfort and fear as she stood alone at a streetlight. Kat was used to this, the silence of the night disrupted only by her breathing. Yet she knew of the things that lurked around the corners that weren’t her shadow. For a second, Kat contemplated staying out in the dark and never returning home. 

Before she could travel further down that path, Kat arrived at her apartment. Going into the building and making her way to the door, Kat fumbled with her keys. Getting the door open was harder than usual, the lock seemingly jammed for some reason. Regardless, she got the door open and made her way inside. Running a hand through her hair, Kat flipped on a light and squeaked in surprise, coming face to face with Anne Boleyn in her kitchen.

“Hey Brandon. You and I are gonna have a little chat,” Anne spoke coldly. “Couch. Now.”

* * *

Sitting on the couch, Kat stared at her hands, too afraid to look in Anne’s eyes. She had been caught, hadn’t she? Terrible thoughts kept running through her mind on what Anne might do, but Kat refused to voice any of them. “I thought you looked familiar to me,” Anne monologued while pacing in front of Kat. “I was just really curious as to why I know your face. But you know,” she shot a glance at the teen, “curiosity killed the Kat.”

Shivering, Kat opened her mouth, but closed it. “I thought if I stole your wallet, I’d be able to learn something about you. And oh boy did I learn something.” Making a full stop, Anne stared straight through Kat’s persona. “No drivers license or ID, no nothing. Just a few stray pounds and some lint. A laundry card with an address to some,” she gestured around the apartment, “disgusting slum house. No offense,” she quickly corrected herself, not wanting to be too aggressive. Kat shrugged. She couldn’t fault Anne for thinking her home was disgusting if she felt the same way. 

“But most intriguing of all,” Anne continued, “was the autographed card of Thomas Wolsey, one of the heads of Gemini Records. Now, anyone who has done business with Darkrider Records knows of the war those two labels are neck deep in. It’s not something they publish on the news, but if you truly were affiliated with Darkrider Records, you wouldn’t be seen within an inch of anything related to Gemini.” Gulping, Kat knew how deeply she had dug herself into a hole. “So tell me Kat, _who are you?_ ”

Taking a few quick breaths, Kat started to talk. She didn’t lift her head to face Anne and her voice was small. “My name is Katherine Howard. I’m a street musician and I have no idea how I got your letter.”

Narrowing her eyes, Anne leaned in closer to Kat. The teen expected to be slapped for deceiving Anne, or receive some kind of retaliation. Instead, Anne gasped and backed away, a look of recognition in her eyes. “Kat? Kat Howard?”

“Yeah?” Kat mumbled in confusion.

“Your father is Edmund Howard, right?” Still confused, Kat nodded, not wanting to upset Anne. “Oh my God, I know why I recognize you.”

“Why?” Kat probed, needing answers for Anne’s sudden change in behavior.

“Because you’re my cousin.”

Silence. And then Kat stood up. “I’m your what?”

“Your cousin!” Anne exclaimed. She moved closer to Kat and started inspecting her face. “I mean, you’re a lot less chubbier than I remember, but you would’ve been, what? Four at the time? You look so different.”

Backing away from Anne, Kat wrinkled her nose. “You’ve gotta have me confused with someone else. I’m not related to any Boleyns.”

“Uh, clearly you are,” Anne rolled her eyes, pointing to herself. “Your aunt is my mom. You won’t remember me, we only met like, once.”

Still, Kat was unconvinced. “Why wouldn’t my father tell me about you?”

Anne frowned and lost a bit of enthusiasm. “Everyone in the family knows Edmund as the deadbeat. His wife died and he totally pulled away from everyone. No one’s talked to him since the funeral.” Kat cringed, remembering her mother disappearing one day. And how everything had changed after that. “Although I’m not one to talk, seeing as I’m the black sheep of our family,” Anne added.

Scoffing, Kat looked at the floor. “You’re the black sheep? Have you seen where I’m living?”

Awkwardly clicking her tongue, Anne once again observed the place. “Yeah, not the best living space.”

“Can’t afford anything else,” Kat grumbled.

“Street musician doesn’t pay too well.” Turning her attention back to her newfound cousin, Anne still needed answers. “How did you get that letter?”

Shrugging, Kat wound her arms tightly around her chest. “Some lady dropped it in my guitar case yesterday. It had my name on it, so I thought it was for me. I went to the meeting and you all started calling me Katherine Brandon and… I panicked.”

“Understandable,” Anne muttered, thinking about the implications of the letter landing with Kat. “And so the plot thickens,” she whispered to herself. Anne decided not to push on that front, instead bringing up another topic. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I need to,” Kat fired back. “I’m never going to do anything worthwhile in my life. This is my one shot.”

If it had been anyone else, they probably wouldn’t have encouraged Kat, but this was Anne Boleyn, known for her chaos. “Then let’s do it.”

Of all things Kat had been expecting, that wasn’t it. “You’re just going to help me?”

“Hell yeah,” Anne agreed. “I already want to take down Henry, and you’re already in on everything, so why stop now? If you’re willing to do this, then I’m gonna help you.”

A short grin grew on Kat’s face. “You won’t tell anyone I’m not really Katherine Brandon?”

“Anything for my baby cousin.”


	5. I Can't Breathe and I Can't Smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Allusions to sexual abuse, unwanted sexual advances, almost having an anxiety attack

It was the night of the party and Kat would be lying if she said she was prepared. All the other queens and ladies were cool and collected, but she could feel all her internal anxieties coming to the surface. Kat didn’t know what she was doing, she had never been to an actual party (unless you counted failed high school Halloween bashes). This was a huge leap Kat was taking with tons of risks, and it was finally setting in how hopelessly unprepared she was.

Standing in front of her mirror, the mix of guilt Kat was feeling about her suit didn’t help to quell her anxiety. It fit perfectly and was absolutely stunning on her, but it was also the most expensive thing she had ever worn. Kat felt dirty with the suit on. It was meant for Katherine Brandon, not Katherine Howard. But she was about to go through with this insane plot to infiltrate Henry’s party and there was no backing out.

There was a knock at her door. “Coming!” Kat called, flexing her fingers. On the other side of the door was Anne, the only person who actually knew where Kat lived. She had agreed to pick her up and take her to Henry’s party so no one would suspect anything from Kat.

Anne had a small bag slung across her chest, her dress just as dazzling as Kat remembered. The bar owner was on her phone, casually texting someone. She glanced up when Kat opened the door and grinned. “Talking with Maggie about tonight,” she explained when Kat’s eyes landed on the phone. “She and the other ladies are going to be in contact with Cathy the whole time, in case something goes wrong.”

“You mean in case I fail,” Kat mumbled, her breathing picking up slightly.

Putting away her phone, Anne wrapped an arm around Kat. “No Kat, don’t think like that. You’re perfectly capable of doing your job. You’re small and basically invisible, you’ll get it done. I have faith in you.”

Kat couldn’t help but feel like that faith was misplaced, but she gave Anne a forced smile and kept her mouth shut. Anne led Kat to her fancy car, some brand Kat couldn’t even identify, and slid into the driver’s seat. “When we get there, everyone’s going to meet before we split up. You get in and out as quickly as you can, okay?”

“Okay,” Kat nodded, staring straight ahead.

“Kat,” Anne leaned towards her cousin, making Kat look her in the eyes. “Promise me that you’ll stay safe. Promise.”

Shivering at Anne’s low tone, Kat set her face. “I promise.”

Satisfied with Kat’s answer, Anne put the car into drive. The two cousins were silent during the entire ride, both of them too nervous to speak. There was a lot weighing on tonight and they were acutely aware of that.

Henry’s house wasn’t just _some house_ , it was a mansion, Kat noted. One of the biggest ones she had seen. It reminded her of a castle, if she was being honest, with its high walls and intimidating gates. Her task of finding his office seemed ten times more daunting even before stepping inside the palace. “Boleyn! Kat!” A voice called out from behind them when they stepped out of the car.

Anna was leaning against the gate, her hands in her suit pockets. The suit was red with black highlights down the side. She had high heels that made her seem like a giant and a thin top beneath her blazer. Kat wasn’t sure if Anna was competing to see who would get more attention between her and Anne, but that’s what it seemed like with the extreme effort she clearly put into both of the outfits. “Anna,” Kat’s cousin acknowledged, “Where are the others?”

“Right here,” Jane answered, walking up with Cathy at her side. Just like Anna, Cathy was breathtaking in her suit. The blue complimented her skin like no other color, and it made her curly hair stand out even more. Kat simply couldn’t understand how Anna and Bessie had been able to come up with these outfits.

From the other side of the street, Aragon walked over to the group, her dress sashaying behind her. “Now that we’re all here,” Aragon started, “we can go over last minute details.”

“Yes,” Cathy reached her hand into the center of the queens and opened it, revealing a small earpiece. “Maria got me an earpiece so I could talk with the ladies. There’s only one, so come to me if you need help. If something goes wrong, don’t hesitate to call for help, you are not at this alone,” she spoke the last part while looking directly at Kat. The others pretended like they didn’t notice, but it was clear they had.

Furrowing her eyebrows with determination, Kat stepped forward. “Do we have any idea where his office is? His palace is gigantic, I won’t be able to find it without direction.”

Jane answered her. “It’s in the west wing. Second floor, third room. It has a golden handle.” At the strange faces of the others, she explained, “He and I have a good relationship, remember? I’ve been to his home more than once.”

Accepting the explanation, Aragon broke from the group. “Jane, Anna, and I will go in together. You three,” she addressed Anne, Kat, and Cathy, “will wait before coming in at different times.”

“You got it. Now shoo, be Aragone,” Anne smirked. Jane laughed at the pun while Aragon shot Anne a threatening glare. With that, the three women entered the gates, disappearing to the party.

Glancing at Kat out of the corner of her eye, Anne tried to be discreet with watching her cousin. It wasn’t working, and Kat knew what she was doing, but neither of them said anything. “Kat,” Cathy ran a hand through her hair, “I want you to come to me immediately if something happens.”

“Why?” It wasn’t that Cathy was cold towards her, she just wasn’t the most open of the other queens. Kat didn’t really expect Cathy to offer herself as a person to seek out.

“I have the earpiece to the other ladies, and we both have similar jobs. You’re putting yourself in a lot of danger, and I’m thankful that you’re willing to do that. But if you need to get away quickly, I’m your best bet,” Cathy stated. “And I’ll help you, no questions asked.”

Suddenly feeling the effects of her nerves returning, Kat awkwardly swallowed. “Yeah, will do. Um, let’s go inside now.”

* * *

Kat had no idea how she had managed to escape from the prying eyes of models and politicians all situated in the main hall. The palace was even bigger on the inside than Kat imagined, and she was having trouble navigating around. There were so many different sets of stairs that she wasn’t sure if she was on the second floor or the eighth. Regardless, Kat walked along the quiet hall, counting doors.

For an overcrowded party, no one seemed to be wandering around the palace but her. Everyone was in the same room, and the hall Kat traversed was completely deserted. Stopping in front of the third door, Kat stared at the golden handles. This was it. This had to be it, right? Reaching her hand out, Kat turned the knob and closed her eyes,

“Excuse me darling, what are you doing all the way out here?” Jumping back, Kat scrambled away from the door. She put on a fake beam and turned to face the man who called out to her. He was tall and had a scruffy beard, his body so big he seemed to take up the entire hallway. This was Henry Tudor, Kat was sure of it. She had seen a few photos of him before, but they were all far more flattering than this version of him.

“Uh, I uh, I was looking for the bathroom,” Kat giggled, pretending to be tipsy. “I kept walking and I thought this was it!”

Noticing Kat’s vulnerable state, Henry started taking steps closer. “Well dear,” he lowered his voice, “I could show you the bathroom if you like.”

Fear trickled down Kat’s spine like a spider crawling over her skin. “N-no thank you! I should be back to the party.” 

Henry blocked her way, his teeth flashing dangerously. “But you should use the bathroom if you need it,” he pushed, trapping Kat.

“It was all in my head,” Kat pretended to laugh as if she was drunk, praying it would convince Henry. “I just want to go back to the party now.”

“Well let me escort you,” Henry put his arm on Kat’s shoulder.

She froze, remembering the times Francis had done the same to her. The times that the men before him had - “Henry, what are you doing?” A familiar voice asked. Jane was standing behind Henry, her arms crossed and an unimpressed eyebrow raised. “This poor girl’s trying to get back to the party, let her go.”

Glaring at Jane, Henry released his hold on Kat, allowing her to scamper off. As Kat passed Jane, the woman offered her a short wink that Henry wouldn’t notice. As she left the hallway, Aragon passed Kat. One look at the girl and Aragon was marching down the hall to help Jane. She called behind her “Go find Cathy, get ready to leave. If Henry saw you and Jane together, he’s going to put the pieces together. Now go.”

Moving faster, Kat reentered the main hall. Swiveling her head back and forth, she pushed through throngs of people in search of Cathy. It was happening so quickly, she realized. Henry finding her before she even had the chance to investigate. Jane finding her and Aragon sending her to Cathy. It felt like they had only just gotten here and Kat had already ruined it. 

With so many people around her, Kat started to shrink into herself. Too many people, too many people, why were they all in the same room? She couldn’t see Anne, she couldn’t see Cathy, Jane and Aragon were with Henry, Anna was probably off having a great time. Kat almost ran directly into a wall as she emerged from the mosh pit of people. Steadying herself, Kat breathed in heavily, her chest tightening like a rope was tied around it. 

“Kat?” Cathy noticed her from beside a table filled with champagne. The writer had a notebook in her hand, but she slid it into her jacket as she approached Kat. “Hey, Kat, breath with me,” she whispered, grabbing the girl’s hands. Kat did as she was told, breathing in unison with Cathy’s controlled breaths. Once Kat’s breathing was stable, Cathy put a finger to her earpiece. “Yes, Kat’s here. Something must’ve gone wrong.”

“I’m sorry,” Kat whispered, “I’m so so sorry, this is all my fault.”

“Hey,” Cathy assured her, “This whole thing was a huge risk, and it’s not your fault something went wrong. We’ll have other opportunities. For now, we need to leave before Henry starts to figure things out. He’s smarter than he looks Kat,” she commented, pushing Kat around the wall of people. 

They emerged at the front door, quickly leaving the confused waiters behind as they tried to offer bottles of alcohol. “Where are the others?” Kat asked Cathy.

“Anne’s in the thick of it, there’s no way of getting to her until she decides to leave,” Cathy explained. “I’ll shoot her a text and she’ll join us afterwards. Cleves was on standby to be our driver, and she should be waiting for us if the ladies managed to contact her. The ladies are at the theatre, so we’ll join them.”

True to Cathy’s words, Anna was waiting in her car. “I can’t believe you made me leave so early when everyone’s eyes were on me,” Anna complained without any real frustration. “Get in, we should leave now,” she spoke seriously. “The ladies said they’d get Aragon, Jane, and Anne to the theatre as quickly as possible, but their covers aren’t blown yet.” Cathy got in the passenger seat while Kat climbed into the back.

Covering her face with her hands, Kat did her best to quiet her breathing. She had messed this up for them. They had been planning this for so long and she had messed it up right off the bat. She should’ve known better than to try and get involved with them. She was only a burden on them, a hindrance.

She didn’t belong with the queens.


	6. What Am I To Do With My Life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Depression, feelings of worthlessness, self destructive thoughts

Kat was sitting on her couch, legs curled up to her chest and a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. She was in her pajamas and her hair was a complete mess. Kat’s guitar was leaning against the wall, it’s chords unused and forgotten. After her failure with the queens, it had been impossible for Kat to find it in herself to get up and street perform during the day. She couldn’t go out and watch Jane walk by. She couldn’t perform knowing that she had let down the people who had been depending so heavily on her.

It should’ve been obvious to her this whole time. Kat knew from the start she wasn’t a queen, nor was she a lady. She was in way over her head, that much had always been clear. But after the party at Henry’s house, it was practically spelled out in glittering letters for Kat. She didn’t belong. Never had, never would. Plain and simple. So why should she try?

The depressive haze had taken over Kat’s body as she sat in a ball on the couch, her eyes blankly staring at the wall. She didn’t have a television, so all she could look at was the moldy walls that housed her. It was disgusting to her, the life she lived, but it was all she had. To believe, even for a second, that she could trade it for fancy suits and lavish parties… 

Kat was naive to think anything would change. She knew better now. She knew that she couldn’t keep this charade up, and she certainly wasn’t cut out to be a queen. Not now, not ever. 

The knock on the door wasn’t enough to shake Kat out of her blank staring. She didn’t answer it, choosing to stay silent and still. There was rustling on the other side of the door before the lock clicked and it opened up.

Walking into the room with a small bag, Anne frowned at Kat’s appearance. “Kat, why are you in your pajamas, we got a meeting tonight?”

Shrugging, Kat barely reacted to Anne’s question. She hummed something noncommittal and squeezed herself tighter into a ball. “Kat, come on,” Anne set the bag down and moved over to her cousin. “You can’t just wallow here for eternity.”

“Yes I can,” Kat mumbled before groaning and unfurling herself. “Just go away Anne.”

Sitting down on the couch, Anne flicked some lint off the crusty plush furtniture. “I’m not going to leave you here alone. Tell me what’s up?”

Dropping her eyes, Kat sighed. Without looking in Anne’s eyes, she answered, “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.”

Not believing it for a second, Anne moved closer to the teen. “Come on, I can tell that something’s up. You can tell me.”  
“Why?” Kat glared at her own hands defensively. “So you can make fun of me?”

“I won’t make fun of you,” Anne argued, almost putting her hand on Kat’s back but thinking better of it. “Promise. Cross my heart.”

Kat didn’t trust Anne’s words, but she spilled anyway. “I’m a failure. I let you and the others down. I haven’t belonged here since day one and I’ve only made things worse and harder for you all. I shouldn’t be here.”

Letting the words bounce off her, Anne huffed. “Come on now, that’s not true. We knew from the start it would be hard, none of this is your fault. And I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Anne paused dramatically before continuing, “None of us belong. None of us are really friends - except Cathy and Aragon, and each of our ladies. We’re all struggling Kat, not just you.”

Anne’s confession made Kat feel slightly better, but it was still overshadowed by her fear and doubt. “But at least you all have a reason, a motivation. Something important that you contribute. I’m nobody.”

“And yet you’re perfect,” Anne assured her. “When you watch a spy movie, does the government pick that famous billionaire or the naive looking ‘newbie’ to go undercover.”

Kat shrugged. “I don’t know, I don’t think I’ve ever been able to see a spy movie.”

“Okay -” Anne reiterated, “What I’m trying to say is being ‘nobody’ is exactly what we need. You’re practically invincible if you can’t be tracked down. You’re special Kat, far more special than any of us.”

The words sunk into Kat’s skin, even though she tried to keep them out. Kat wanted to say that she was worthless, because it was easier to hate herself than to look into Anne’s eyes and believe her promises. “I’m going to quit.” The forcefulness of her statement surprised Kat herself, but she held firm. Even when Anne gave her a pleading face, Kat didn’t budge. “I’m going to tell them the truth and I’m going to quit.”

Scrambling for a reply, Anne stood up. “At least come to tonight’s meeting. Sit through the meeting and make your decision by the end. If you still want to back out, then I won’t stop you. But please, at least think about staying?”

Kat nodded, although internally she had already made up her mind. There was no way she was going to let the queens convince her to stay. Standing up to go change out of her pajamas, Kat froze a few steps away from Anne. “What’s in the bag you brought?”

“Hmm?” Anne turned her head to the bag. “Oh, nothing much. Just some food I bought from Tescos for you.”

Biting her lip, Kat went into her room and grabbed a change of clothes. She muttered lowly enough that Anne couldn’t hear, “I don’t need your pity,” as she got ready.

* * *

The familiar table sent shivers up Kat’s spine as Aragon went over the recap of the failed party. Kat was drowning out the woman’s voice, her shoulders hunched in as she waited for it to end. It felt like all the women were staring at her, blaming her for what had happened. It was all too much, but Kat wouldn’t let herself break down in front of them. She would keep her Katherine Brandon facade for one more night, and then it would end.

“We’ve got some news,” Joan spoke up when Aragon was done. “Maria’s been spending some time creating a code, and she’s finally ready to share.”

Maria made her way to the head of the table and set her hands down. “Yesterday we only had a single earpiece for Cathy, but Maggie’s been making sure we get them for each and every one of you. It took some time, but I’ve figured out the best way we can interact with each other using these. It’s going to seem quite simple, but it’s actually extraordinary. You see, each of you are assigned a number, and with those numbers, we and your fellow queens can contact you.”

“Interesting,” Anna stuck out her bottom lip in appreciation.

Leaning forward, Jane asked, “So what are our numbers?”

“Very basic,” Maria explained, “Aragon is one.” The CEO nodded. “Anne is two.”

Blanching, Anne rocked in her seat. “Really, I’m second to Aragon?”

Narrowing her eyes, Maria shook her head. “It’s not a contest of who’s better. The numbers are a timeline. You’re all arranged in the order in which you met Henry.”

Freezing, Kat set her eyes on the table. She was being put in this pattern that didn’t even apply to her. She was going to mess it up in a matter of minutes when she revealed herself. Anne shot Kat a glance across the table, but the girl missed it. “Three, Jane Seymour.” There was no reaction on Jane’s face, but behind her eyes there was a flash of pain. Maria continued, “Four, Anna.” The German woman tipped an imaginary hat. “Five, Kat.”

Acting like she had expected it in the first place, Kat nodded not particularly caring about her number. She would be five for five minutes, and then it wouldn’t matter. “And Cathy, number six. Whenever we address you in code, it will be using these numbers,” Maria finished.

“Sounds good to me,” Cathy affirmed. “I think that’s the last thing we had planned for tonight. If anyone has anything else to share, please do.”

Nervously, Anne watched Kat. The teen was psyching herself up, preparing for her admittal. Opening her mouth, Kat’s opening words were drowned out by Anna’s much stronger voice. “Actually, I do.”

“Anna,” Bessie warned as if she knew what was about to happen.

Shutting her mouth, Kat let the other woman talk first. “I was delivering a suit to Henry this morning, checking up on him after the party. He had a terrible hangover and straight up told Bessie and me that he’s going to be stuck at his office from tomorrow night through the morning.”

Standing up as well, Aragon scratched her nails on the table. “Did he seem suspicious of you at all?”

“Not one bit,” Anna spoke proudly. “We’re safe, for now. It didn’t even seem like he remembered anything from last night, so Kat’s still in the perfect position to sneak in and get the evidence we need. We aren’t finished.”

Breath hitching, Kat watched her hands. Her cover wasn’t blown? She could still… she could still do her job? If there was any way she could make up for what s ****he ruined… “I’m in,” Kat shot up out of her chair, making a split second decision.

Anne’s mouth opened in shock when she saw Kat’s determination return to her eyes. Kat wasn’t done yet. “That’s good, because we’ll need you now more than ever,” Anna addressed Kat.

“What exactly are you saying Anna?” Jane questioned.

Smirking, Anna cracked her knuckles. “I’m saying it’s time for some good old fashioned breaking and entering.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr, @musical-stan-first-human-later for my masterpost of fics!


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